Antonio Rudiger had another fine game for Chelsea against Tottenham yesterday, as his numbers showed quite clearly by the end of the match.
There had been doubts about the German’s ability to play in a back four, but with Cesar Azpilicueta and Malang Sarr playing as very narrow full backs, and with the experienced Thiago Silva always ready to cover, Rudiger was well protected and able to surge forward in his usual manner – including one moment where he almost created a goal for Romelu Lukaku with a frenzied burst down the right.
His influence in the game went beyond just shutting down Harry Kane however, and his passing stats on WhoScored are pretty crazy.
The centre back played 8 long balls, more than anyone else on the pitch, and even more impressively, he completed all 8 of them.
By the end, it was the all-action kind of performance we’ve come to expect from the lovable German.
